Stooge on Asphalt?

[Kafin Noe’man]

Does anyone here know someone who makes a wireless / remote-controlled stooge?
I’ve read some bad experience on taking-off with stooges, is the wireless stooge going to be the better solution?

[Fred Cronenwett]

This is the stooge I use, note it can be on any surface and it does not need to attached to the ground with a spike or large nail since I fly off off of a very nice asphalt surface (we don't want any holes in the that surface). low profile so if you are coming towards it will cause minimal problems.

I just use a pull cord, old school, but works. I keep the stooge in my car at all times.

[Dennis Toth]

KAfin,
Mark Wood makes them as a kit, see info down in the "New electronic technology" section of this forum. Very simple and eliminates the pull line.

Best,   DennisT

[Brad LaPointe]

We use a stooge attached to a piece of plywood  2x3’ .This  also makes it unnecessary to spike it down .

 Other benefits is if you fly off grass it saves the grass from fuel spots , keeps dirt out of the engine and makes finding dropped items much easier to find .Works on tarmac for dirt and fuel spots also . I got this idea from an article in a magazine many years ago.

Brad

[Mark wood]

Here's a link to my remote CL laucherator.

[john e. holliday]

Love your flying site.

[Mike Griffin]

Kafin,

If you can find one of the ones that Tom Morris used to sell, that is what I have.  It is a piece of HEAVY steel plate and you can lay it on any flying surface and it is not going to move.  Then just go to the hardware store and buy a chalk line, less the chalk, and you are ready to go.

Mike

[Dan McEntee]

  If you are going to invest in a stooge, right from the start, get a "goal post" style stooge that holds the model back with two uprights that retrain the model at the horizontal stab. That way ANY model will work in it. Some where along the line you will try a tricycle landing gear airplane and you will need it. The stooge that restrains a model by a wire loop won't work with a tricycle gear. I tried all sorts of combinations and they just ain't stable. Release it any way you want, but make the restraining mechanism hold the model with two uprights , one on each side of the fuselage, at the horizontal stab.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

As Dan says if you can get the stooge with the upright arms it will work on any plane you might have ecept for small 1/2A's.   I got mine from Brodak Mfg.  I also have the line release stooge and have made a stooge for my combat wings.   It mounts on my work mate.  I am also working on one in which 1/2 way from center of circle to out side edge will be a post so I can place my lines around it and have what I need in the center or close to center of the circle.  An out fit that sells electric powered 1/2A' has a video showing it being done.   But if you are just sport flying with tail draggers the stooge shown in h-the preceding videos will be enough.

Looked then up for you.  both from Brodak Mfg.  With up right arms - SKU #DO-846  $59.99
small stooge to anchor to plywood or steel plate  SKU #BH-848

Also if you want to take the time do search on here for stooges.  I know there is a video some where bto make your own mucho cheaper.

[Kafin Noe’man]

Here's a link to my remote CL laucherator.

Hi Mark,

I have sent you a message to your inbox, have you received it?
I’ve been having troubles exchanging messages through my PM so far.

Do you mind sharing your email here, Mark?

[Craig Beswick]

This is the error to Kafins messages. Can someone in admin, or Sparky, have a look at it.

Craig

[john e. holliday]

Looks like he needs to register completely.

[Craig Beswick]

I think it is more likely the underscore in his name.

[Kafin Noe’man]

I think it is more likely the underscore in his name.

Hi Craig, I’ve just changed some settings on my profile,
would you mind helping by sending me a PM to see if it’s fixed now?

Thanks!

[Craig Beswick]

Sent.

[katana]

I think it is more likely the MISSING underscore in his name.

Corrected that for you

And the added apostrophe between Noe and Man !

Computers are simple machines - bad info in, bad info out!

[Mark wood]

Hi Mark,

I have sent you a message to your inbox, have you received it?
I’ve been having troubles exchanging messages through my PM so far.

Do you mind sharing your email here, Mark?

Sure send me a PM and I'll send it too you. I resist putting my email on an open forum post.

[john e. holliday]

[
Computers are simple machines - bad info in, bad info out!
[/quote] 

As we were taught in the telephone schools.  Computors know only zeros and ones.   Anything else confuses them.  it depends if its decimal or hexadecimal.  Main frame shelves were labeled 0 through E.

[Kafin Noe’man]

It’s all good now with the PM thing.
I’ve changed some setting on my profile and it works pefectly.

Now, we can go back to discuss about stooge. 

[PerttiMe]

There's some good ways here for stooge design.

But what about ways to trip it remotely? Obviously, the usual R/C transmitter, receiver and servo can be made to do it. Something more compact at the transmitter end would be more convient here.

[Howard Rush]

But what about ways to trip it remotely? Obviously, the usual R/C transmitter, receiver and servo can be made to do it. Something more compact at the transmitter end would be more convient here.

Mark has the solution.  See above.

[Kafin Noe’man]

So, after reading several posts regarding the stooge, I notice that one major problem is your feet getting tangeld by the release cable. I think this can be solved by using the remote control.

However, another thing that is holding me back from getting one is I’m affraid the engine vibration will change the course of the plane to inside circle. How do you deal with this?

Thank you!

[Dan McEntee]

So, after reading several posts regarding the stooge, I notice that one major problem is your feet getting tangeld by the release cable. I think this can be solved by using the remote control.

However, another thing that is holding me back from getting one is I’m affraid the engine vibration will change the course of the plane to inside circle. How do you deal with this?

Thank you!

   All my stooges have been triggered with a pull string. You have the string would up on a spool or reel that allows you to have just enough line to grab it off the ground and pull when ready. Just as the model starts moving, toss the spool away from you. I have never tangled my feet in a release line. When setting up your stooge, angle the stooge with the model in it outward just a tad, and remember not t putt too hard on the flying lines so that you move the model.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Kafin Noe’man]

Looked then up for you.  both from Brodak Mfg.  With up right arms - SKU #DO-846  $59.99

Hi Doc,

I saw your other post about Don Ogren’s stooge, and I think I’m gonna get one.
However, I still have one thing in my mind, “Is the base of the stooge sturdy enough to hold my plane(s) without adding heavier steel base?” If it needs a heavier reinforcement, how heavy should it be?

My fleet right now:
- Vector 40 with ENYA 35XS
- Cardinal with ENYA SS40S
- Banshee with OS LA-S 25

Looking forward to hearing more from you, Doc!
Thank you, so much!


Best regards,
Kafin Noe’man

[Brent Williams]

Make sure the grass is trimmed very well, several feet past the end of your leadouts and that you have a smooth area in front of the plane as well.  I lost an airplane to a stooge launch because of a weed interfering with the lines which caused the airplane to immediately come in at me.  I couldn't run backwards fast enough to gather it up in time and the plane flew up and overhead to its spectacular demise.

[Gary Dowler]

Make sure the grass is trimmed very well, several feet past the end of your leadouts and that you have a smooth area in front of the plane as well.  I lost an airplane to a stooge launch because of a weed interfering with the lines which caused the airplane to immediately come in at me.  I couldn't run backwards fast enough to gather it up in time and the plane flew up and overhead to its spectacular demise.

Brings back memories. I lost my first Shoestring in almost precicely this same fashion in 2018. 2 years to the day of its first flight.

Gary

[Brent Williams]

This was the result of the botched stooge launch.  I experienced the tragically comic foreshadowing irony of naming an "Impact" shaped profile airplane "The Splat"!  Haha!
Note the length of the grass in the picture.  It was thick, deep grass.  I shouldn't have even attempted the launch.

[john e. holliday]

When I couldn't get my scrap piece of linoleum to lay flat I resorted to the car floor mats for take off surface.  Just long enough to get air born speed before hitting the grass.  When I was much younger I used a discarded kitchen table to take off in the yard just out side Dad's window so he could watch me fly.   

[Kafin Noe’man]

Hi all,

I have just recieved this stooge.
My flying field is asphalt, so I don’t have option to stake it to the ground.

I’m thinking to bolt this stooge into a 1/16” stainless steel plate that is slightly wider than the plywood base (this is indicated by the blue marking) — the plate will add weight for about 5.3 lbs.

Beside the steel plate as the base, I would also add a steel block behind the release mechanism (this is indicated by the green marking) — the block will add weight for about 12 lbs.

Top View:


Side View:


Will it be sturdy enough to hold:
- Cardinal / Pathfinder with ENYA SS40 S
- Vector with ENYA 35X S

Any thoughts on this idea?

Looking forward to hearing more from you!


Best,
Kafin

[Ken Culbertson]

Hi all,

I have just recieved this stooge.
My flying field is asphalt, so I don’t have option to stake it to the ground.

I’m thinking to bolt this stooge into a 1/16” stainless steel plate that is slightly wider than the plywood base (this is indicated by the blue marking) — the plate will add weight for about 5.3 lbs.

Beside the steel plate as the base, I would also add a steel block behind the release mechanism (this is indicated by the green marking) — the block will add weight for about 12 lbs.

Top View:


Side View:



Will it be sturdy enough to hold:
- Cardinal / Pathfinder with ENYA SS40 S
- Vector with ENYA 35X S

Any thoughts on this idea?

Looking forward to hearing more from you!


Best,
Kafin

Hi all,

I have just recieved this stooge.
My flying field is asphalt, so I don’t have option to stake it to the ground.

I’m thinking to bolt this stooge into a 1/16” stainless steel plate that is slightly wider than the plywood base (this is indicated by the blue marking) — the plate will add weight for about 5.3 lbs.

Beside the steel plate as the base, I would also add a steel block behind the release mechanism (this is indicated by the green marking) — the block will add weight for about 12 lbs.

Top View:


Side View:


Will it be sturdy enough to hold:
- Cardinal / Pathfinder with ENYA SS40 S
- Vector with ENYA 35X S

Any thoughts on this idea?

Looking forward to hearing more from you!


Best,
Kafin

Mine had a much larger 1/4" plate.  Very heavy.  Your design using the goal posts, you could easily put a 5-10 lb barbell weight in the center or some lead sheet if you can find it.  I have done that on the loop/pin ones as well.

Ken

[Kafin Noe’man]

Mine had a much larger 1/4" plate.  Very heavy.  Your design using the goal posts, you could easily put a 5-10 lb barbell weight in the center or some lead sheet if you can find it.  I have done that on the loop/pin ones as well.

Ken

I was also thinking about putting a barbell weight on the top-center of the plywood base, but then I’m not sure if the plywood will be able to hold the extra weight (15-20lbs) on the top of it.

Will the plywood be able to hold the weight?

That’s why I was thinking of adding a reinforcement steel base beneath the plywood before adding more weight either on top of the plywood or the steel base like I mentioned.

[Ken Culbertson]

I was also thinking about putting a barbell weight on the top-center of the plywood base, but then I’m not sure if the plywood will be able to hold the extra weight (15-20lbs) on the top of it.

Will the plywood be able to hold the weight?

That’s why I was thinking of adding a reinforcement steel base beneath the plywood before adding more weight either on top of the plywood or the steel base like I mentioned.

If you are strictly on asphalt, you don't need it, but it can't hurt.  If you are going to add a thin metal base, why not make it a foot longer in the back.  You can pile as many weights as you need on it and not touch the trip wire.

Ken

[Dan McEntee]

  You are not only worried about how the model pulls against the uprights, you are concerned with how much pull there is when you pull the release and it doesn't move the stooge. This looks pretty much exactly like my stooge. I have mine built onto a 3/8" thick steel plate that weighs about 25 pounds, maybe more. That may seem overkill to some people but I fly .60 size models also and they can pull like a tractor. And it's only one thing to have to load up and carry.  You may notice that Brodak or some one else sells a stooge that is built on a piece of 3/8" plate. It just doesn't leave anything to chance. I also have some soft rubber sheet on the bottom for added traction in case the pavement is a bit pebbly or damp and is slick. You may have to hunt around some scrap yards or similar places to find apiece big enough for your needs and it won't be to cheap, but it's well worth the effort and cost for the security and piece of mind that your model will stay put when you start it. Once you get your set up all assembled and ready to use, test it. Rig something up to pull on it like a model and give it a pull test just like you should be doing to your airplanes. Also test how the release line pulls and whether it moves or not. The release like is pulling from a different angle. Look it all over and try to see ANY way that ANYTHING  might possibly fail. Again, this is well worth the time invested for the security and peace of mind. There are just lots of ways that things can and will go wrong, and a run away model can cause a lot of physical harm and damage. You have to respect that spinning prop no matter what size airplane and power plant it is.

    Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Trostle]

However, another thing that is holding me back from getting one is I’m affraid the engine vibration will change the course of the plane to inside circle. How do you deal with this?

Thank you!

When using my stooge, I have experienced the nose moving to point to the inside the circle with the engine vibration and me lifting the lines when I walk to the handle.  I use a 3 pound lead weight from the fish tackle shop and place on the inside of the outboard wheel axle.  It prevents the nose from moving to point inside the circle.  The weight is placed so that it does not impede any forward motion and as soon as the stooge released the model, the model is free of the weight.

Keith

[Ken Culbertson]

I have experienced what Keith replied.  My solution was to reposition myself after running out the lines so that so that the nose was pointed correctly.  The goal post type of stooge does not do it as bad as the tail loop type that I use.   I also walk with the plane as it takes off making sure the lined stay "tight".  I do this w/o the stooge and with electric as well.

Still the best stooge is one that grasps the tail and releases on queue.  I have three of them but I haven't used one since going electric.

[john e. holliday]

Another thing is to anchor your down line.